The WSIA Education Foundation, formed in 2018 with the merger of the AAMGA Education Foundation and the Derek Hughes/NAPSLO Educational Foundation, is dedicated to encouraging the educational development of all those interested in the excess and surplus lines business, to creating an understanding, and overcoming the misperceptions of the excess and surplus lines market.

The Foundation's work includes:

Financial support of education programs for WSIA members each year

Scholarships for risk management students totaling more than $1.1 million to 281 students since 1988, with a commitment to provide 20 or more $5,000 scholarships annually in the future

Maintaining and improving the Associate in Surplus Lines Insurance (ASLI) designation program, which furthers the educational opportunities for members of our industry; since inception, 2,562 professionals have earned the ASLI designation

The AM Best Company’s annual review of the surplus lines segment, which has been a valuable tool for the industry for 26 years

Growing member education through the Foundation’s relationship with Georgia State University

Administering student-focused educational programs, symposiums and grants to encourage, support and reward those exceptional students who have an interest in an insurance career

Financial partnership with Gamma Iota Sigma, the national risk management and insurance fraternity, focused on sustainable growth and diversification of the insurance industry’s student talent pipeline

Grants to university risk management and insurance programs that increase awareness and visibility into the wholesale, specialty and surplus lines market, including larger grant awards for programs that incorporate curriculum specific to the surplus lines segment